1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to static building structures, and more particularly, to a tubular enclosure system operable to control an interior environment thereof and convert solar radiation to electricity, and to methods of erecting and using the system.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional building enclosures suffer from a number of problems, particularly enclosures equipped with windows or glazed portions. Undesirable ambient energy transfer is highest on glazed portions of the enclosures. Such energy transfer results in increased heating and cooling requirements to maintain the enclosures at a desired temperature.
In attempt to reduce ambient energy transfer, designs for enclosures may limit the exposed area of glazed portions. Additionally, glazed portions may be treated via application of a high-performance coating or with increased glazing, e.g., double or triple glazing. Each of these options, however, includes undesirable effects.
Reducing the exposed area of glazed portions limits views to an exterior environment of the enclosures, which is undesirable to inhabitants and other users. Further, it reduces or eliminates the amount of natural light that is allowed to enter the enclosure, thereby increasing demand for artificial lighting to illuminate the interior of enclosures, which results in increased energy consumption. Artificial light is also undesirable because it is typically of poor quality, e.g., has a poor color rendition index relative to natural light.
Other related art includes flat glass with air removed from an interior thereof. Such flat glass is susceptible to bowing from pressure exerted by the lack of air in the interior. To address the pressure and avoid bowing, spacers may be installed in the interior between layers of insulated glass. The spacers, however, act as thermal bridges and cause heat to flow more easily through the interior and be transferred between the layers of insulated glass. Additionally, flat glass is not self-supporting and requires additional structural support upon assembly.
Related art also includes non-flat glass. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,038,797 to Hermann, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, is directed to tubes having cylindrical sections. The Hermann tubes are manufactured as extruded glass, which necessarily includes undesirable manufacturing limitations when large diameters and/or long lengths are required for an application. The Hermann disclosure also fails to provide a workable structure for arranging or supporting the tubes for use in a variety of challenging structural settings. Further, the Hermann tubes do not independently seal an enclosure and, therefore, require additional material in the form of supplemental panes of glass.
Thus, there is a need for a building enclosure system with an unrestricted area of glazed portions to allow light to pass into an interior thereof while reducing energy transfer between the interior and an exterior of the system. Additionally, it is desirable that the system be easy to assemble, self-supporting to minimize materials necessary for assembly and use of the system, and include components that minimize energy consumption necessary to maintain the temperature of the enclosure.